


How Pepper Potts handles (or tries to) a crisis

by StarkPrincess1304



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Pepper Potts Feels, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26527195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkPrincess1304/pseuds/StarkPrincess1304
Summary: Small ficlets of Pepper Potts through all the Thanos bullshitorImportant conversation with important people
Relationships: Pepper Potts & James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. 2018

**Author's Note:**

> Heey, this is not the first fic I write but it's the first I'm posting, so I hope you enjoy it!!!
> 
> I'm sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language.

**2018**

**I. Rhodey**

Pepper Potts liked to believe that few things could still surprise her after everything she saw and lived through in her life. She had been injected with a crazy-ass substance, is engaged to a super-hero, survived an alien invasion and a maniac robot, met and friended people who could do an immense amount of things and didn't run away when a portal carrying a sorcerer opened up out of thin air a few meters away from her. So, she was very proud of her sanity even though she had to watch from her office when the love of her life was going away into yet another fight, in space this time.

Tony was gone for hours maybe even a day now, and she was in SI headquarters trying to coordinate and understand what was going on and send help and resources to wherever it was needed.

The fact is, Pepper is not sure for how long she was paralyzed when her PA just vanished, she was deprived of food and sleep, so she wasn't sure if she wasn't just imagining things. In one second she was speaking of damages and hurt people in New York and in the next she was an amount of ashes in the middle of her office. She must have been staring for hours because when a call startled her, it was already dark outside.

"Pepper?" Rhodey's voice came out of her phone and she snapped out of her trance.

" _Rhodes_ , my PA just disappeared out of thin air." She said, still feeling numb.

"I... Pepper..." And he seemed so hesitant and her thoughts went to Tony for the thousandth time. "The monster we were fighting... he won and he did something, some of us vanished. I don't know how to explain it like this. Are you safe?" Rhodes said and he sounded so hurt and confused, she felt like crying for the first time today. She asked Tony not to go and now she wasn't even sure if he was alive.

"I'm in SI. Everything is so quiet." She whispered. "I don't know if Tony..." And that's when her voice gave out.

" Pepper, it's okay. We'll figure it out." Jim said, trying to soothe her.

"Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm in Wakanda. Their king is gone and some of the Avengers too. Steve, Nat and Bruce are here but it's just a big mess." He answered.

"Come home. I'll drive to the compound, bring them home too. If we have any chance of making this right, we need everybody that can fight." She said, gathering her things and exiting her office.

"I'll see you in a few hours."

**II. Happy**

When Pepper stepped out of her office, the corridor of her level was deserted. There was nobody to be seen since they evacuated all personnel that wasn't absolutely necessary to keep things running.

As soon as she reached her car in the garage, having stopped to talk to the lost people that have seen others disappearing, she thought of Happy. And immediately pulled out her phone, putting his number on the display and waiting for the call to connect.

"Happy." She said, her heart losing a little of its weight when he picked up. Her chief of security and long-time friend asked if he could check on May and Peter as soon as the giant donut popped up on the sky.

"Boss? Thank _God_." He said, sounding as lost as she was feeling.

"Are you alright?"

"May is _gone_ , Pepper. We were looking for Peter and she just disappeared on my arms. What's going on?"

"I don't know for sure yet. Is Peter with you?"

"No. He was on a field trip with his school earlier and we tried to reach them but with all the craziness of another alien invasion we weren't able to find them." He explained and Pepper had to control herself to keep from having a panic attack while driving. She still had a few hours to go.

"Did you go to the place of the trip? You know how Peter is, he might be trying to solve things there." She suggested, trying not to think about all the possibilities of things that could have happened to the kid.

"I'll do that and call you later."

**III. FRIDAY**

It wasn't the first time she shared the room with the Avengers but it was the first time she saw Steve Rogers looking so lost and disturbed like he was now. Natasha wasn't really different but her pain was concealed under a mask of coldness, but Pepper knew her and the hurt and fear was clear in her green eyes.

As soon as she saw Rhodes, she walked straight into his arms, not even trying to keep from crying.

"We need to search for the right sources, see if we can figure out who vanished and who didn't." Captain America said. "We need to figure out exactly what happened."

"We need to find Tony. We don't know if he's dead after going away on that ship." Rhodey said, feeling how tense Pepper was on his arms.

They were interrupted by Pepper's phone, ringing loudly on the quiet room.

"It's Happy. He was looking for Spidey." She said to Rhodes and something appeared in his eyes, like he just thought of the kid for the first time since the snap. "Yeah." She said after sliding her thumb on the screen.

"I can't find him anywhere. He was supposed to be at MoMA. But his bus never got there in the first place." Happy said and it looked like he was desperate, his voice distressed and rushed like he was in the verge of a panic attack.

"Happy. _Calm down_." Rhodes said, feeling the guy's distress from afar.

"I'll put FRIDAY on it." Pepper said.

"Call me if you learn anything. I'll keep looking." And he hung up.

"FRI? You there?" Pepper said out loud, hoping that the A.I. was still uploaded in the compound. Tony didn't easily trust people with his technology so only few places with high security level had the AI installed in. She wasn't sure if he trusted the place and the people that used it enough to let her in there.

"Yes, Miss Potts." FRIDAY answered after a few moments and she took a deep breath in, it would be easier now.

"Where is the last known location of Spider-Man?" She asked.

"Spider-Man was in the ship with Boss, ma'am. They met in Central Park and tried to help Dr. Stephen Strange." And that's when Pepper felt the room spin on its axis.

"Do you have footage, FRI?" Rhodes asked.

The AI connected the streets camera to the screen on the glass and everyone saw Tony, Peter and The Sorcerer trying to fight the thing that claimed the time stone. Bruce was looking sheepish and mumbled something along the lines "Hulk had to chose to hide today of all days."

"I released item 17A." And she knew exactly what it was because Tony just wouldn't stop bragging about the suit for a little while.

" _The Iron Spider_? Why?" Pepper interrupted, the dizziness stopping her from thinking straight.

"He exited Earth's atmosphere and the suit saved him from lack of oxygen. Boss asked me to bring him home and I actived the protocol to bring him back to Earth but he never reentered the planet. Miss Potts, I lost his location at the same time I lost boss'."

"You mean Peter is somewhere out there with Tony?" And her field of vision started to get a little darkened on the edges. She saw Natasha's worried face and heard Bruce's concerned voice and they started to argue about something that she wasn't exactly concerned at the moment.

"Yes, Miss Potts."

Tony was missing. Peter was missing. People she knew and loved were gone and the darkness that engulfed her didn't seem so bad after all.

**IV. Bruce Banner**

When Pepper woke up it took a few seconds for her to remember where she was and why. She was laying on a bed, beeping sounds coming from somewhere on the room and by the little uncomfortable feeling on her hand, there must be a saline bag keeping her hydrated which was good because she couldn't remember the last time she ate or drank water for that matter.

Her eyes adjusted to the dark and the faint light coming from the hallway showed Rhodey sleeping on a chair near her bed. He must have been exhausted, he had clearly fought somewhere but here he was, protecting and supporting her.

It was the first time she felt calm in the last few days and she asked herself if they hadn't give her something to knock her down a few.

Tony and Peter were missing and she didn't know if they had vanished or were just somewhere in space. Either dead or injured. But she was sure that Sophie was gone. The sweet and kind May Parker too. So many friends and acquaintances that she hadn't heard from were missing too, she was aware.

Pepper felt grief overwhelm her and Bruce decided that it was a good time as any to enter the room to check on her.

"How are you feeling?" He said and there was something in his eyes that seemed different, even a little surprised.

"Physically fine." She answered, being as honest as she could.

"I ran a few scans and tests to make sure that it was just a stress-induced crisis and nothing related to the extremis still remaining on your bloodstream or a heart-attack." He explained, looking at the panel with her vitals and not at her.

"And?" She asked because it was clear that he knew something that she didn't.

"As you said, you are physically fine." Bruce said and his eyes finally focused on hers in the dark room. "There was a little surprise though and I don't think you are aware of it."

"What is it?" And she though of a thousand things but none seemed correct since he said she was fine.

"You are _pregnant_ , Pepper." He said, smiling softly at her like he was really happy with the fact.

She absorbed the information and her heart skipped a few beats because she loved the idea of a kid that would be a mix of her and Tony. A little bundle of energy, determination and intelligence. She thought of the park that morning and Tony's dream and all of sudden, her happiness was crushed by the fact that maybe Tony would never see their kid be born or grow or breathe. He wasn't here and maybe he was never coming back.

"He was right." She said out loud, feeling the first tear roll on her cheek. "He dreamt about it and told me before he was gone and I just laughed about it. But he was right and now he's not even here."

Bruce soothed her, holding her hand and reassuring her that everything was going to be alright.

"We'll figure it out, Pepper. I know you can feel that he's not dead and you know why?" The doctor asked, whispering as to not wake Rhodey.

"Why?"

"Because I feel it to. I can feel that he's out there somewhere. He's my friend, Pepper, and I will do anything in my power to find where he is." He said, looking into her eyes while he made his promise and that seemed to calm her down.

Bruce never took anything for granted and she liked to believe that they were friends after knowing him all this years and spending time with him on labs, dinners, living rooms. She knew in her guts that Tony wasn't dead but knowing that someone else felt it too gave her hope. Hope that the love of her life would return to her arms, hope that the kid inside her was their future, hope that everything would be a little bit better.

_Hope._

**V. Harley Keener**

Sleeping and decaffeinated coffee put things in a new perspective. Things were still going crazy in the compound and in the world but Pepper started getting things on a hold.

The first thing she did was calling her parents and the fact that both of them were alive and just a little scared served to ease her a little.

Then she called her board and had a meeting with those left, ensuring them that if they worked together, they could grasp the company and do some good. She also put someone in charge of looking after employees and their families, make a list of the missing personnel or everyone that needed assistance.

The third call she made that day was the one she was more terrified to do. Harley was a nice kid and he was part of the family and if she lost him too, well, that would be a hard hit. He visited with his family throughout the year and Pepper and Tony would always go to Tennessee near the holydays bringing presents to him and his sister. He even had his own lab on one of their houses because Tony loved to listen to his incredible ideas and bring them to life.

The boy was so intelligent and creative, and his personality was a match to Tony's in ways only Pepper could be as well. He was calm and centered, he was never afraid of telling Tony a few truths and seemed to understand the whole mask the man put on when he was feeling hurt. So, yeah, Pepper was really fond of the boy.

"Friday, call Harley Keener, please." Pepper asked FRIDAY.

"Right away, Miss Potts." The AI responded.

"Hello?" Was the answer when the call connected and Pepper took a deep breath as soon as she heard Harley's voice.

"Harley, thank God." She said.

"Miss Potts, I saw Tony and..."

"I know, Harl. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay but my mom and my sister..." and his voice seemed a little choked on the edges, like he had been crying for a while now.

"Oh my God, Harley, I'm so sorry." She said, trying not to sadden the boy even more with her tears.

"Is Tony okay? Are you okay?" He asked, trying to divert the conversation.

"I'm fine, but I don't know where Tony is. He went on that ship and I never heard from him again."

The only sound that came from the other end of the line was a sniffle and Pepper knew he was crying again.

"Here's what we are going to do, Harl. I'm putting Happy on a quinjet, he's going to be there in an hour and a half or so. Get some clothes and things you're going to need, you're coming with me to the compound." She said.

"Miss Potts, that's not really necessary, I can take care of myself..." he tried to argue but she was ready for this, it was like reasoning with Tony and she always won.

"I know you can, Harley, but you are a minor and I really need someone that is family with me right now. So can you, _please_ , come here?" She asked, knowing that it was for both of their benefits.

"Okay. I'll lock everything up, make sure it's safe and pack a bag." He said and he sounded a little relieved, like he was glad she insisted.

As soon as the quinjet landed on the roof, Pepper was already waiting when Friday said they were arriving, she walked in the direction of the ship. Harley appeared on the landing pad and was engulfed by Pepper's arms as soon as he stepped out.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you." She confessed, feeling a little bit soft when she realized he was a little taller than her now. They were the exactly same height when they saw each other five months ago and facetime is not really good in dimension.

"It's good to see a familiar face too." He said, returning the hug as fiercely as she was holding him. Pepper held back her tears, they were both safe and, right then, it was all that mattered.

Happy got out of the plane and tucked the CEO under his right arm and she felt immediately safer. She loved her little family and the hurt in her heart was a little better, even if there we two important missing pieces.

"Is Rhodey here?" Harley asked, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. Happy was carrying two bags. One of them was probably his own.

"He's on a meeting with a few army, navy and air force members on the conference room. You'll be able to see him later." She said, knowing that Harley was a big fan and really fond of Rhodes.

They entered the elevator.

"Ok, sounds good."

"There's one more thing. The Avengers are on and about the compound, you don't have to speak with them if you don't want to, but you might cross with one or another sometime." She warned because it was one thing to be with your family but it was another entirely to be having breakfast and Natasha is cleaning her guns on the chair right next to yours. Or tripping on Thor's new axe. Or running straight into Captain America.

"Is Captain America here?" And Pepper heard the bitter tone on his voice as easily as she could hear in Rhodey's or Tony's. Pete was never really bitter, he was actually sweet, except when it came to his parents or his uncle, that was something else entirely.

The truth is: everybody knew about the so called "Civil War" and how Captain America had gone rogue with a few other Avengers. But only the IronFam, as Tony was so fond of calling, knew the lost look Tony had for a few months after all of that. Pepper, Peter and Harley had a big part of helping him get through all that bullshit. So she knew Harley was asking about Steve because of that, even if the kid had never learned about Siberia. Oh, that would just worsen a lot the situation. Like, catastrophic proportions bad.

"Yes, Harl, but it's fine. You can just hang out with me, Rhodey and Happy or in your room, you don't have to talk to him."

"Okay." He answered but Pepper wasn't really convinced that he wouldn't just use his famous potato machine gun on Steve's head anyway.

"Here is your room, Harl." She said, pointing to the door. "Mine is this one." Showing the door on the other side of the hallway. "If you need anything, you can ask me, Rhodey or Happy, alright?"

"Ok, thanks."

"Oh, and Harley, the lab Tony uses is on the west wing. You can ask F.R.I for directions if you want to go there. Same for the kitchen." She said, smiling when she saw his eyes shine for the opportunity to use the lab.

"Thanks, Pepper. Really." He said, returning her smile.

"You are family, Harl. I'd do _anything_ for my family."

**VI. Steve Rogers**

A week later from the Snap and the world was still immersed in the chaos left by Thanos. Pepper was doing anything in her power to move SI resources to help people in distress, she expanded FRIDAY's capacity in a way Tony authorized only her to do and the AI was looking for children left parentless and making sure they were relocated to somewhere safe.

The Avengers were busy releasing statements and answering questions on press conferences. They had split in teams and some of them would go to jails to make sure bad guys were still locked up so they'd have one less problem, others would visit orphanages and schools, there were a lot of car crashes and some airplanes had fallen and it was a mess. Natasha was left with the hardest part, confirm that Thanos did indeed wipe out half of Earth's population.

Pepper tried her best to work and don't think about the fact that Tony and Peter weren't anywhere near. So she worked nonstop because there was always something to do and with her power, she could really bring some relief. She spent a lot of her time in the lab with Harley, the sound of him tinkering about soothing to her in a knowing way. Bruce and Rhodey would remind her to eat and sleep a little at least, if not for her, maybe for the baby.

Rhodey was so ecstatic when he heard the news and had hugged her so tight, saying how happy he was and then it was like something clicked, and he realized that maybe this kid would never know its father. And that Tony would never know their kid.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked when she just stood there staring at her Starkpad screen without moving for a while.

"No." She said sincerely, staring at the very blue-greenish eyes of Captain America himself.

"Do you hate me?" He asked after what seemed like the longest stretch of silence. It seemed like an odd question to be discussed on a time like this, but she could use the distraction.

"What?"

"After Siberia. After the Accords" He explained, entering the room a little more than just leaning of the door frame. She leaned back, analyzing his uncomfortable posture and thought of his question.

"I did, for a little while. Because Tony trusted you, y'know, and you couldn't do the same for him. And Siberia was another thing altogether because you left him in a strange, cold place with a broken suit and no backup. So, yeah, I hated you but Tony didn't, because he never really had any self preservation instincts to begin with. I don't hate you anymore if that's what you want to know, Tony said he could forgive you and he felt a good amount of guilt himself, so I figure hating you wouldn't do me any good."

"I've never had the chance to sit and talk with him back then. Everything happened so fast and Bucky was wrongly accused. I couldn't..."

"It's okay. After we got back together when I learned about all that mess, we talked and he told me about Sargent Barnes. Tony had always been very hot-headed and, well, the footage was heartbreaking enough and I didn't even watch it. So I understand why he attacked him but he also understood after thinking a lot that Sargent Barnes wasn't the one at fault, he was just the weapon and Hydra was guilty for the murder. So, yeah, Tony doesn't hate you or him. Maybe trust is a bit of an issue but it can be regained." She explained, feeling like her chest was a little lighter after explaining everything to him.

He seated on the opposite chair from hers and there was some line of worry on his forehead and around his eyes.

"Tony somehow knew this would happen. He was always saying that we needed to protect the Earth from bigger threats but we thought that we were enough. He was right about that and I wish I had listened." Steve said and it was the second time she saw the confident, hopeful and proud Captain America look so lost and sad. The first was when they arrived at the compound and his eyes were empty and tired.

"Tony was always overthinking about everything, I think that's why he had a problem with his drinks back in the day. He loves everything so passionately and I know he wishes to wrap it in a suit and protect it forever. That's who he is. But he was always content to fight with the Avengers to protect people too, it was in his core." She said, trying not to cry.

"I like to think he's out there. He's the best of us and he's fighting to come back. I saw my friends turn to dust. Bucky, Sam, Wanda... I can't allow myself to think he's gone too." The soldier had this gentile tone to his words, like he was afraid of hurting her anymore than she already was.

"I know he's out there. _He has to be_."

"We'll bring him back." Steve said and the monitor on Pepper's pad started to blink.

"Miss Potts, incoming call from the President of The United States." FRIDAY announced and Pepper's back went straight on her chair. "He wishes to speak with you and one representant of the Avengers."

"Good afternoon, Mr. President." Pepper greeted with a small, forced smile, when the A.I. put the president through.

"I'll be quick, Miss Potts. I just want to thank you for your assistance on this time." He had a tired face and she could only imagine what he was going through.

"I'd do more if I could, Sir." She answered, nodding her head to show her appreciation. "Captain Rogers is with me, Sir."

"Good afternoon, Mr. President. I know you probably wasn't expecting me, but it's all we have." Steve said, greeting the man from behind Pepper.

"It's alright, Captain. The Accords doesn't matter now, we need all the help we can get. I just ask for accountability and responsibility, please." He said and he really looked like he urgently need to sleep or he would pass out.

"Roger that, sir."

"I really hope the both of you can help us for the foreseeable future. Miss Potts, some of our staff will reach to you on a few days, a collaboration is more than essential right now."

"I'll be waiting."

"Thank you for your service." He said and the call disconnected.

"It seems like we have work to do, Miss Potts." Steve said, looking determined is a way only Captain America could be.

"It's Pepper. And the sooner we start, sooner we'll finish." She said with a small smile. If Tony would forgive him, why couldn't she?

"I'll see you later, Pepper." He said, walking away.

"Bye, Steve."

**VII. Natasha and Rocket**

The thing about discovering about being pregnant is that you wake up at the wee hours of the morning hungrier than ever before. It's like there is a hole in your stomach at the second the test says 'pregnant'. Pepper has this ritual with Harley, because the kid is always eating, and they eat everything they can in different combinations and styles.

"You are eating way more than normal." Natasha says in one of those nights when Pepper has a plate with PB&J and some fresh fruits. Harley went to bed a few minutes earlier, having finished a bowl of cereal soaked in soda, she had no idea how he could sleep with the amount of sugar he ate, but she had a suspicion that he didn't, spending his nights working on projects and blueprints.

"I'm anxious." She answered to the super spy, not exactly lying but not exactly telling the truth either.

"Rocket is searching, y'know. He's trying to find the rest of his family too." Nat said, sitting with a cup of coffee on her hands.

"I know. It's just that with each day that passes, the chances that we are going to find them is smaller. It's been almost three weeks, Nat." She confessed, feeling exhausted.

"He's alive, Pepper. I _know_ it."

"Everybody keeps saying that and I just feel like he is but it's not for much longer." She said, no longer hungry and feeling like the sandwich was a big round watermelon sitting whole on her stomach.

"Tony is stubborn. You know that." Nat said, sipping her dark drink slowly. Natasha wasn't sleeping too but Pepper knew she was trained for it because she wasn't showing signs of fatigue at all. "I let Steve go a few years ago and I know, that deep down, Tony knew it was the right thing to do. And he didn't want Ross to go after Steve because it would be a blood massacre for both sides. So he insisted in going himself. Alone. And we all know in what that resulted."

"You were there when he was dying. That was a very dark time. But it pales in comparison to how Tony was after he found out about his parents murder. He watched it and he would wake up screaming and tossing and crying." She said, choking a little because she was trying really hard to hold her tears.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because out of all of the Avengers, you are the one after Bruce that knows him the best and you still think he's just stubborn." She snapped, feeling guilty right after. "Tony built all the improvements for you because he couldn't bear the fact that your deaths would be in his hands and after all of you left, he became depressed and he felt like everything was his fault."

"You left him, too." Natasha accused.

"I did and after I saw what it did to him, there this weight of guilt in me that will never go away." She said, her blue eyes boring into Natasha's green ones. "The thing is, Tony recovered after a few months, he built Rhodey his braces and a suit for Peter. He got better because he understood that he couldn't drag the guilt of actions that weren't his on his shoulders."

"Tony wanted to built suits for us before Ultron. We said no because that's just who he is, not us." Natasha supplied after a few seconds of silence, like she was absorbing Pepper's rant.

"Because it would protect you and he spent nights in his labs upgrading your weapons so that you would be a little more safe. Tony is not perfect but he cares and that's why he is stubborn." The CEO said, popping a cherry into her mouth even if she was feeling nauseous.

"I always knew he had self-destructive tendencies. I wrote that in his report for the Avengers Iniciative."

"He told me. You are right. He puts everybody's lifes before his and I stopped trying to change him for that a long time ago."

"I think that's why he fitted so much since the start. He wasn't afraid to sacrifice to finish it up. He almost did." Nat said and she hold Pepper's half across the table. "You know..."

"I think I found something." The talking racoon interrupted from the door of the kitchen and both women ran behind the animal. Pepper couldn't even find funny the fact that she was trusting a talking animal but, well, he was the best.

"Talk to us, Rockey."

"So, I told you that the Guardians had the ship Benatar, right?"

"Yes."

"So, I said that tracking the ship would be really hard if it was destroyed or damaged. It is too far in space for a distress signal to reach Terra, but Carol has very cool and advanced gadgets... so, I was able to enhance the thing and I expanded the reach. It took me a few days but I think I might have found the benatar and better yet, it's close to Titan, a place Gamora told us that asshole of a father is from." He explained very fast and awkwardly, pointing to the objects scarced around on his table and to the monitor with a beeping red alert and a few coordinates on it that she would never be able to understand.

"Are you sure it could be them?" Natasha asked, her green eyes serious and deadly.

"It has to be. Our ship is modern and all but if it's damaged, this is the only way they were going to be able to ask for help. They might have had hydraulic problems, ran out of fuel, suffered an attack, there's no way to know." The racoon said, looking really stressed and worried. "But I think it's worth a shot. And if Stark was after Thanos, the probability that he's there too is big."

"I'll wake up the others." Natasha said, looking confused for a second.

"Not Harley. Please."

As soon as Natasha got out of the room, Pepper turned to Rocky.

"Thanks for not giving up."

"My family headed there, too, Pepper. I want them back as much as you want your Tony." The alien said, his eyes shiny and focused.

"Tell me about them."

"Well, there's Quill, he's an asshole but he's our leader. He got this fixation with music and he's so in love with Gamora that it's gross." He said, his eyes turning fond and caring. "Gamora is one of the daughters of Thanos but she's as far from him as it can go. She's fierce and as in love with Peter as he is with her. They make a good couple, balance each other out. Mantis is weird, she can feel and control our feelings but she never does so without our permission."

"That sounds very thoughtful." Pepper said.

"Uh-huh. There's Drax. He lost his family because of Thanos and he's funny and a warrior. And Groot, we raised him after his father died for us in a battle. He vanished after the battle of Wakanda." Rocket said and he looked sad and defeated for a second.

"We'll get them back. Even if some of them vanished too. We'll do everything we can." Pepper said even if she couldn't promise that.

"What did you find?" Rhodey asked, entering the room and he had clearly just woken up.

"I'm pretty sure I found their location." Rocket said, pointing to the screen. Carol stepped closer, analyzing the data and smiling at the racoon. He explained everything again and Steve questioned him at least three times.

"I love what you did with the tech." Carol said, touching the screen then something on her pocket that resembled a phone.

"I'd do more, this is improvised." He sniffed, like he didn't just solve the question they were making for weeks.

"I'll look into it. I can get there in 20 hours, 2 days tops if I have to search it all. But if what you said about Thanos is true, you might be right." Carol said, already heading out of the room to put her space uniform.

"Is it safe? For you, I mean." Pepper asked, worried that Carol was risking herself for something that wasn't even certain.

"Yes. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I promise to be very throughout. My powers will help me get there faster and it'll be easier to look for them if they are on the region. I'll do my best, I promise." Carol Danvers said, her very hot yet delicate hands holding Pepper's. Her reassuring smile and nod calmed Pepper a little, she was powerful and kind, maybe they would have been friends if Carol was an avenger.

When she left, Pepper's heart squeezed right inside her chest and she prayed, asking for Tony's safety and for him to come home. She put all her hope on Carol and Rocket and the sensation on the back of her head had her feeling numb and strangely calm, so she went back inside and seated herself on the couch on Tony's lab, watching the hours ticking by on the clock.

**VIII. Tony Stark**

She was running as fast as her legs could carry her and it felt like it wasn't enough. As soon as Carol landed the ship and the ramp begun to descend she felt hope fill her chest.

"Oh my God." She said as soon as she approached him, because he was too skinny and hurt to be alive like that. She hugged him strong enough that she was probably hurting him a little. "Oh my _God_ "

Steve and Pepper carried Tony inside, watching as Bruce fussed over him setting IV lines and giving him a bottle of water for him to sip slowly. He asked for a burger and got a snort out of Rhodey and a glare from Bruce.

As soon as he was on the bed, everybody was out of the room, Pepper being the only one there. She didn't have to ask, she could see in the haunted look on Tony's eyes that something terrible happened out there and the fact that Peter never came out of the ship, she knew it was really horrible.

"He vanished." Tony mumbled, not looking at her, just staring the ceiling. "Right in my arms. He _begged_ me to save him but I failed, I couldn't." And that's when he choked, the tears spilling from his broken eyes as he finally stared at her.

She didn't hide the sob that came out of her, just grabbed his hand and watched as the meds stared to have an effect of him.

"We'll get him back." She whispered between tears and she made it sound like a sweet promise.

They calmed down after what seemed like hours and their tears had dried when Bruce entered the room with a wheelchair saying they needed to talk.

Pepper let him go and went to the dorms of the compound, looking forward to telling Harley that Tony was finally back. She was surprised he didn't come out with the building shaking from the ship but she knew he was probably sleeping after so many nights without doing so. When she entered his room, he was bent over the table, sleeping soundly on top of blueprints. She decided that she would let him sleep but dragged him to bed anyway, trying to support his weight as she covered him up with a comforter.

She observed his calm demeanor and the ways the worried lines of his face seemed calm and relaxed in his sleep. She stayed there for minutes, just guarding his sleep and thinking about how they would have to adapt now that his family was gone.

Pepper got back to the room where the meeting was being held in time to see Tony rip his chest piece and collapse on his knees. She knew it would be hard for all of them to come back from this but it would be worse for Tony because he always carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The sun was rising on the sky when Tony woke up. "What happened?" He asked, looking around confused.

"You threw some truth in Steve Rogers' face, while walking when you shouldn't even be out of bed." She answered with a smirk that was a little uncharacteristic of her, but Pepper Potts was nothing if not a fan of Anthony Edward Stark.

"Oh, yeah, that's right. I told him all about Thanos wiping my face with a _fucking planet_ , didn't I?" He said, his tone sarcastic slapping the smirk right out of Pepper's face.

"Do you think you can tell me?" She asked and he swallowed before nodding slowly. They had promised each other, after New York and Extremis, that they would always try to talk about these things before it became too much and blew up on their faces.

"After I went away with Strange and Bruce and the donut came out of the sky with Squidward claiming the time stone, Peter found me in Central Park and saved my ass from getting fucking smashed by that giant monster."

"We saw that on footage until he was taken up by a blue beam of sorts."

"Yeah, so I went after them and released the Iron Spider and tried to send him home, but Peter fucking Parker is a little stubborn shit and sneaked in anyway. So we saved Strange from the guy with the squid face and we decided that keep the course of the ship was the smartest thing to do because we would be able to surprise the motherfucker."

"That is actually... very smart and very dumb at the same time."

"Yeah, I know. Strange made a point of saying that to my face. So, in the middle of the way, this group of people came in asking about Gamora and after a little fight, we realized that we were on the same side."

"The Guardians." She stated, realizing he was talking about Rocket's family.

"How do you know that?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"The racoon, Rocket, he told me about them." She said, feeling sad for the lost family. "Quill, Drax, Mantis and Gamora."

"We made up a plan, to trap Thanos and take the gauntlet away from his hand. After a lot of work, we got him trapped and Mantis was keeping him under control with her powers. She felt his grief and his pain."

"What on Earth was he grieving about?"

"He killed Gamora. His own daughter. And Quill went berserker after that. I don't blame him, I'd blast the fuck out of anyone if they hurt you but he could have waited a few more minutes." Pepper squeezed his hand, transmiting patience and comfort for him. "He escaped and it all went downhill from there. He was almost killing me, but Strange intervened, giving him the time stone."

"What?"

"He made Thanos promise he wouldn't kill me if he delivered the thing. The fucker said yes." Tony said and his voice was so angry and disappointed. Pepper silently thought about the fact that if it wasn't for the sorcerer Tony wouldn't be here now. She would thank him later for that. When they reversed everything. "He used the Tesseract to open a portal and went away."

"He went to Wakanda. The rest of the Avengers fought him for the mind stone that was with Vision. Wanda tried to destroy it but it was too late. He got it and snapped his fingers." Pepper supplied the missing piece for Tony even if it was oversimplified.

"Mantis sensed something wrong. She was the first to go. Then Drax, Quill, Strange. Peter was the last one." He said, his eyes beginning to water yet again.

"He knows you did everything in your power to keep him safe." She promised, kissing the back of his hand.

"I'm getting him back, Pepper. Whatever it costs me." He promised, his eyes set with a mix of raw anger, resentment and sadness.

"Okay. You are going to try and get Peter back and then we are going home." Pepper said and she realized that the "whatever it costs me" involved his life, so she had to ground him, because she wanted Peter back more than anything but only if it didn't cost Tony's life. "There's something you need to know."

"What is it?"

"That day in the park. You were right." She begun.

"I know, Pepper. I said I'd promise you no more surprises but there was a surprise right there..." He said, in the beginnings of a rant.

"No, Tony. You were right about your dream." She watched as he got very quiet, searching her eyes for confirmation. "I'm seven weeks pregnant."

The truth seemed to hit him hard and tears were spilling from his eyes non-stop.

"Are you sure?" He asked, grasping her hand.

"Yes, Bruce ran the tests."

"Holy shit, Pep." And she bent over the bed to connect their foreheads together, their laugh and their tears mingling in a mixture of bliss and grief.

They stayed like that just laughing and crying for God knows how long and Tony never let go of her hand. They made plans to the future and cried again when they realized the possibility of Peter not being in it.

She heard the sound of his sneakers squeaking on the floor before he even showed up on the door. He halted to a stop as soon as his eyes found Tony laid down on the bed.

Tony's eyes lifted from her hand to Harley's face and Pepper saw all the raw emotions rolling on his face.

"Oh, thank God." He said, extending his hand to pull Harley close to him while a faint smile stretched his lips. She should have known that the only thing that would make Tony better was his kids, biological or not. "Are you okay?"

"I should be the one asking that. I thought you were dead." The boy said, his voice wavering like he was holding tears.

"Almost." He said, squeezing the boy and Pepper's hand.

"My mom and my sister are gone." Harley blurted out and Tony flinched.

"You are not getting out of my sight again." Tony said, looking at the both of them with determined eyes.

"You are not getting out of ours, either." Pepper answered, smiling at her boys

**IX. Nebula**

"You must be Pepper." The blue girl said from the door making Pepper snap out of her reverie. She must have been staring at sleeping Tony for hours now. After all the emotions they had until now, Tony was finally resting, after joking around with Harkey and resembling himself for a little while.

"I am. And you are the one that saved him. Thank you." She said, trying to make the alien woman feel the appreciation on her voice. She made an odd face, like she wasn't used to the sentiment and Pepper knew just from looking at her that this girl and Tony must have become great friends.

"My name is Nebula and Tony kept me alive as much as I helped him."

"Somehow I don't even doubt that." Pepper said. "Shouldn't you be in bed too?"

"My body doesn't work the same way as human ones. Besides my alien genetics and my modifications allow me to survive longer without suffering."

"I'm sorry... body modifications?"

"I've been modificated by my father everytime I lost a fight to one of my siblings. He wanted to make me more efficient and deadly." Nebula stated, very matter-of-factly and Pepper felt a rush of anger rise inside her and her skin would glow orange if she still had extremis.

"What kind of father does that?"

"The one that kills your sister to get a stone, tortures his daughter for its location and then uses it to wipe out half of the universe." She answered and everything suddenly kicked itself into place. Nebula must be Gamora's sister, the one that Rocket talked a lot about.

"I don't even have the words right now." Pepper said, feeling dumbstruck and tired at the same time. Making sense of everything at once was going to cause a permanent migraine.

"It's fine. He found a more efficient way to complete his delusion and we couldn't stop him. I grew up with him slaughtering worlds and taking my siblings away from their families. He would make us fight each other and the one that lost would have a body part replaced to enhance our form."

"That's fucked up." Pepper found herself saying. She wasn't expecting any of that. At all.

"That's a way of putting it."

"We'll find your father, Nebula. Then we are bringing everyone back and he'll get everything he deserves." Pepper said and it felt like a promise.

"He's quite persist, your Tony. And he never treated me differently just because of my father. He took me in and taught more to me in this few days about friendship and support than I have learnt in all my 28 cycles."

"He's like that. You grew up fighting your siblings but he grew up fighting himself and his father. It was nothing like you, but it changed him in a way too." She said, looking at Nebula's dark eyes. "He likes to befriend people and he has a knack for the ones who will just become family somehow."

"He's like Quill, but different in a way I can't point."

"Quill is your sister's partner, right?"

"He was, yes. He was an asshole but..." Nebula stopped before the next word could come out.

"It's okay."

"I don't even know why I'm saying all this to you."

"People say I have a trustworthy face and I'm a great listener." Pepper smiled at the blue girl.

"Anyway, I Just came here to give this, he left it behind on the ship and I figured it's important since he talked to it all the time." Nebula said, delivering the helmet of the Iron Man suit to Pepper. The strawberry blonde analyzed the piece and felt dread wash over her.

"Is that all that's left from his suit?" She caught herself asking.

"Yes. His armor got pretty damaged after the fight with Thanos. He gave everything that he had and that's the last of it." The blue alien answered, looking a little proud and a little concerned. "I've never seen anyone stood up to my father like he did and, for that, he deserves all my respect."

"Tony doesn't mind giving up his life if he can save the universe. It's the thing I love and hate the most about him." Pepper said, taking the helmet from Nebula's metallic hand. The alien didn't have enough time to retract her hand when the human caught it. "There's no amount of words that I can say to express my gratitude, Nebula. You could have left him there, alone, to die, but you took him with you and saved him when no one else could. I own you my life."

"I don't know why I did it, to be honest." Nebula said after a few seconds and her eyes were glistening in the dark and her face had discomfort all over it. Her hand still under the human one, she didn't have the courage to grab it back. "If it was a few years ago, I'm sure I would have left him there and gone after Thanos but something about him made me, I'm changed and he deserved my help. So I gave it. I'm not used to gratitude from anyone but there's this strange feeling when somebody thanks me that I like."

"I'm sure I don't know half of what you went through, Nebula, but we are here for you now. Me, Tony, Rocket and even Rhodey. We are your friends and family if you let us."

"The only family I've ever had is dead because of my father. So I'll kill him and do what he never allowed me to be: happy. So, yes, Pepper, I'll be part of your family and I'll protect it with my life." Nebula said, closing her hand around Pepper's in a grip to seal a deal.

"Welcome to the Iron family, Nebula. You'll fit right in." Tony's rough voice said, his eyes were closed but his mouth was spread in a little smile.


	2. 2023

**2023**

**X. Tony Stark**

"Hey."

"Hey, honey." She answered, dropping her gardening book to the coffee table. Tony was gone for only a couple of days and she felt her heart heavier already.

"We did it."

"Yeah?"

"Uh-huh." He said, sounding so proud of himself like when he explained to her how he created the arc reactor on a cave. "Clint tested it out today, we are traveling back tomorrow."

"Where are you going?" She asked because she couldn't understand how on Earth they would time travel.

"New York, 2012." He said after hesitating for a few seconds.

"You are getting the Tesseract." She stated, clicking the pieces together.

"It's safe, I promise. We are going in teams and I'm with Antz and Cap." And she was sure he heard her breath catch when he mentioned Steve.

"I meant what I said the other night. Just promise me he's going to watch your back."

"We are starting to trust each other again. It's not easy but I promise you he'll keep me as safe as I'm going to keep him."

"Okay." She said, feeling like his words calmed her down a little.

"Is Morgan there?"

"Harley just put her to bed. She said she loves him the same number of stars that exists in the sky. I feel like we are in trouble because he's her favorite person already." She said, happy for the distraction he was giving her.

"Yeah, but I'm her second favorite. She loves me _3000_." He said, provoking her.

"I'm her mommy, honey. She loves me very much even if she's daddy's girl." She answered, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I have to go, honey, kiss her goodnight for me."

"I will. I love you, babe."

"I love you, too."

"Honey?" She asked after a few seconds when the call didn't disconnect.

"Yeah?"

"Stay safe and bring him home." And she didn't have to specify. He knew.

"I will. _Whatever it takes._ "

**XI. FRIDAY/Bruce Banner/Princess Shuri/Helen Cho/Stephen Strange**

She felt desperation, fear, exhaustion, anger trying to claw their way outside of her throat the second the stones aligned in Tony's hand. She watched him snapping his fingers and Thanos vanishing and the way Peter was sobbing when she reached them.

Everything was wrong and Pepper could feel her heart beating on her mouth, the taste of ash making her feel nauseous. Tony's breathing was erratic and too spaced to be any good. His face was the proof he was probably in too much pain.

Pepper kept looking as life vanished slowly from Tony's eyes and something on the back of her head seemed to click. She would never give him up.

"FRIDAY? Activate protocol _Extremis_." She asked, feeling hope fill her chest.

Tony had fixed the substance, enhancing the formula as soon as he could. He removed it from her like he promised but she still had some traces of it left, it wasn't enough to make her burn or revive her if she fell several meters but she never got sick anymore. She didn't sport congested noses or sore throats. She didn't even cough.

He worked on the formula and she knew he kept it in his suit somewhere just in case, because he had figured out a way to use it without killing or blowing people up. SI was working on a program to use it on the war, it wasn't enough to grow new limbs but it was enough to save lives.

"I need confirmation, Mrs. Potts"

"Activate Protocol Extremis confirmed. Code POTTS-STARK." She said and Peter and Rhodes were just behind her, confused and exhausted from the battle. She could hear questions coming from different sides but she didn't pay attention, she needed to save the love of her life.

"Protocol Extremis Enhancement activated." The A.I announced and Pepper saw the orange flares spilling on the veins of his neck and face.

She had to think fast, the drug was enough to correct the internal damage but she didn't think it could save his arm and those cursed stones were still trapped in his hand.

"Bruce? I need your help." She yelled, looking for the green giant.

"I can help too, we need to take him out of here, we need doctors and technology." The magician that appeared on the park that day said, his eyes and jaw set.

"We can take him to my lab in Wakanda. He'll be safe and we can fix him there." Shuri stepped up, nodding to her.

Doctor Strange discussed something with the princess and opened up a portal and the room looked sterile and modern.

She watched clinging to Peter and Rhodes as the scientists and doctor discussed the better way to handle the situation, Bruce was still hurt from the snap earlier and Doctor Strange's hand trembled, Shuri was good but she wasn't a physician.

"We need doctor Cho in here too. Can you...?" Bruce said, motioning to the sorcerer.

"Doctor Helen Cho?" The doctor asked like he knew the name all to well.

And that was the last thing Pepper heard before some wakandan warriors pushed her out of the lab with Peter and Rhodey in tow.

Pepper slept in bits and pieces through the hours Tony was in surgery. Peter had his head laid in her lap and Rhodes was on the other side of the sofa. They had all shed their suits and some familiar faces begun to show around the area. King T'challa offered food and a place to rest, but the three of them refused. Some of the Avengers like Steve and Thor were somewhere on Wakanda, looking for news of Tony as soon as they arrived. Nebula was on the room with them as well, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder and saying "He's stronger than any of us. He'll live".

Pepper jumped out of her seat as soon as she saw Cho entering the room, Strange, Bruce and Shuri following with tired faces.

"We couldn't save the arm, it had too much nerve and muscle damage. Your AI made us the favor of showing us some plans he had in extreme cases so Princess Shuri and I worked together to create something like Sargent Barnes arm, but with nanotech, vibranium and tissue. It looks like the other one and we made sure to make the right implants in his spine so the arm has all the functions and motion range. He'll need some adjustments, but knowing Tony, he'll deal with it in no time." She explained to the trio, pausing in certain moments to make sure they understand or ask questions if needed. The four of them looked absolutely exhausted and Pepper thought about the hours fighting Thanos' army and the hours they spent fixing Tony must have taken the last bit of energy they had left.

"We don't know if he has any brain damage but with the information that we have about Extremis, we expect him to have full mental capacity. But we still need to wait for him to wake up to confirm." Doctor Strange complemented.

" _Anyway_ , he's alive and we think he will be so for a very long time." Shuri said, smiling like she had said the best thing ever.

Pepper felt relief flood her chest in waves and the breath came back to her chest like she hadn't been able to breathe since she left Tony on that room. The only thought passing through her head was " _Tony's going to live_ " over and over again.

**XII. Peter Parker**

"C'mon, Peter. You need to rest." Pepper said, trying to take the Spiderling to the room King T'challa said they could use.

"I'm fine here."

"Pete, you heard them. He's okay, he's going to live but it'll be a long time before he wakes up. You need the sleep after the battle." She pushed.

"Fine." He said and Pepper knew he was doing it more for her sake than his. Peter was selfless like that, always thinking about people instead of himself. May used to complain about it a lot everytime they called each other and Pepper understood it like nobody else. After seeing Tony being a selfish prick in front of the cameras and returning after his kidnapping changed around, she had to get used to the fact that he would easily jump in front of bullets and guide missiles to black holes in the sky. The thing is, Peter is worse than Tony. Because he doesn't have an metal armor just flesh. Flesh that heals faster, sure, but that hurts and bleed all the same.

They wandered for a few moments, the walls on the blue and brown corridors full of some pictures and paintings, everything modern and beautiful in a way Pepper hadn't seen in a long time.

Peter entered the room first, sitting on the edge of the bed and running a hand on his tired face. He looked so tired and dirty from the battle, but Pepper knew he needed the good sleep first.

"Happy talked to Aunt May. She vanished too, y'know, so she didn't suffered your loss like we did." Pepper begun, seeing the tears gattering on Peter's eyes.

"She okay?"

"Yes. She's a little mad that you aren't home right now, but she'll understand when she sees you. I know that."

"I miss her so much."

"I know, Pete. You'll see her very soon."

Peter sniffed, his red eyes snapping up to meet the blue ones. "I couldn't feel the time passing. It was like I blinked for a moment and I was there again, even though I knew I was gone somehow. Does that make any sense?"

"It does, kiddo, and I know it hurts and it's confusing and you don't know for sure what happened in this five years but you will catch up. You're not alone and we'll help you get through this. I promise." She said, resting her hand on his cheek and smiling when the spiderling leaned into it.

They were silent for a few seconds, Peter still looking haunted and scared like he was overwhelmed by the last couple of days so Pepper decided it was time for a distraction. She needed to give his head a break.

"We had a baby. I was pregnant when you and Tony went to space in that donut." She said, seeing a little smile spreading on the teen's lips.

"Yeah?"

"She's home with Harley. You met once right?" Pepper asked even though she remembered how Harley and Peter clicked immediately and the mess they made in the lab with Tony. Web fluid all over the place. She giggled remembering their faces when Friday made a sarcastic comment about their situation.

"I'd like to meet her." He said, not sure if it was okay to ask that.

"Damn right you will. Morgan Hope Stark knows everything about Peter Parker and Spider-Man. She's your number one fan, kid." Pepper said, smiling at Peter shocked face.

"You told her about me?" And he seemed genuinely surprised.

"Of course _we did_ , Peter. You are family." She said and his surprise seemed to increase even more. "Oh, kiddo. You might not be our son but we love you like if you were."

Peter's eyes were so bright and the smile he gave to Pepper was so sincere that she couldn't hold one of her own.

"I'll leave you to rest. I'll wake you up as soon as I hear anything."

"Ok. G'night, Pepper."

"Night, Peter."

She closed the door behind her and silently thanked the universe, God, the gods, whoever was listening for putting her family back together again and not taking anybody else from it. It was a really good day.

**XIII. Tony Stark**

Pepper was sitting on the most comfortable hospital chair she ever sat in her life. And she sat in so many of them she lost count.

Bruce said that she should be there for the next couple of hours, Tony could wake up any moment that day. So she sat and waited patiently, counting in her head all the times she was patient for Tony. The times she helped him with a hungover or kicked some model out of the house or stuck her hand inside a metal tube searching blindly for a wire. In the beginning of their relationship when he was still figuring out how to be in a compromise. When he fretted all over her on Morgan's pregnancy. When he entered a giant donut and stayed away for three weeks. She had all the patience in the world for him and she would sit for hours just to see him open his chocolate eyes.

"Pepper..." Tony mumbled a few hours later, muttering things she didn't understand and searching blindly with his hand.

"I'm here, honey." She said, grasping his hand so he wouldn't disturb the wires and tubes connected there.

"I promise." He whispered, clearly making an effort to open his eyes.

"What? It's okay, Tony, you don't have to talk." She calmed him but he opened his eyes just a little bit, tiny slits but she could see his brown irises for the first time in days.

"No more surprises." He said and she could feel his hand loose his grip on hers as he fell back asleep.

He remembered a similar proposal all those years ago just before a sorcerer appeared out of nowhere to take him from her. He never got to make his promise but he was making it now and it meant everything for Pepper.

It took a few hours for him to wake up again but when he did, he was more lucid then before.

"What happened?" His voice coming out rough and Pepper offered him a glass of water with an straw.

"You snapped Thanos out of existence." She said simply, watching as reality seemed to crash on him full force.

"Oh my God. Did we win?" He asked, looking around and moving more than he should.

"Wait, wait, wait. We're fine." She said, trying to calm him down. "After you used the stones you were dying , Tony, and I got really desperate so I..." And she hesitated because, yeah, she did everything she could to save him but she was a little concerned for his reaction.

"What is it, Pep?"

"I activated protocol Extremis." She said and his eyes widened, his mouth gaping open. "I know you fixed and enhanced it and I couldn't entertain the idea of losing you so I did it."

"Holy shit." He said after a few seconds of silence. "Don't get me wrong, honey, I'm really glad to be here but holy shit, you have some balls."

"I know removing it from me and inserting it on you are different thing but I need you."

"I love you so much, Pep. I'm not even arguing here." He said, smiling fondly. She leaned in and pressed a light kiss on his lips.

"So we won?"

"Not without casualties, obviously, but yes." She said.

"Who died?"

"A few asgardians, some wakandan warriors, some avengers are pretty bruised, a few broken bones, a lot of concussions and so much blood." She said, her eyes stinging a little, both from sadness and relief.

"We'll make sure they find some peace." Tony said, his eyes set like they were when he told her about Phil.

They look at each other for a few seconds and Tony flinched.

"What is it?"

"I'm afraid to look at my arm and see it's not there anymore. There was so much pain coming from it when the stones were in place." He explained and Pepper couldn't ignore the way he seemed a few shades paler.

"Here is the thing. Your flesh arm is not there anymore." She explained in a way she used to explain something to Morgan. "It was in a very bad shape and Cho, Shuri, Bruce and Stephen couldn't save it but apparently, FRIDAY showed your plans to them and they created an arm from nanotech, tissue and things that goes completely over my head. So you have an functional arm because they implanted sensors on your brain and spine. So technically, you're Luke Skywalker now." She finished, his brown astonished, shocked eyes boring on the blue ones. He lifted his arm slowly, closing the hand and Pepper would be lying if she said there was any difference between that and his real arm.

"Oh, _fuck_." He exclaimed, his fist opening and closing several times as he analyzed the thing.

"Language." Captain America said, leaning on the door with a goofy-smiling Thor on his side.

"Give me a break, capsicle, I just figured out I'm a robot now."

"We always thought you were one anyway." Rhodey said, entering the room and sitting on the end of Tony's bed and if his eyes were a little watery, nobody said anything.

"Ouch, platypus, I'm hurt here, y'know? Is it a thing to pick on the sick guy?" He asked, throwing an amused glance in Pepper's direction. "I just want to say that since I'm Luke, which is not as cool as Vader to be honest but whatever, my next big invention is bringing lightsabers to life." He started to rant, looking every little bit like the Tony Stark they all knew and loved.

"It's good to see you awake, Mr. Stark." Peter said, leaning on Pepper's side like he belonged there. Tony's eyes were so soft looking at the pair that the room immediately seemed a little more bright.

"I'm glad to be awake, kid." He smiled at him and looked at his friends around the room. "Where is Neb?"

"She went ahead, Harley and Morgan were getting antsy without news and Happy went to retrieve May and Harl's family." She answered, patting his thigh when his eyes shot up in her direction when he heard the names of his kids.

"They are okay, Tony, crazy to see you, but okay. I promise."

"When can we go home?" He asked, looking every little bit the kid he was when he really wanted something he couldn't buy.

"Two days. Just to make sure you are really sticking around." Bruce answered, his arm on a sling but he seemed happy.

"This is going to be long two days, man." Rhodey groaned, knowing how Tony can be.

"Don't even mention it." Pepper said, her face turning into a frown as she calculated all the ways she would have to use to keep Tony in bed.

"You two are the _worst_." He said but his tone was soft and fond and every little bit adoring.

"Okay, visiting hours are over. Everybody out." Shuri said from the door, walking to Tony's bed and talking with him about the arm. They talked for what seemed like hours and Pepper watched they geeking out on each other.

"I really want to go home." He said, looking anxious.

"I know, honey, but we are safe now and we just need to wait a little bit more."

"Why aren't you mad at me?" He asked and Pepper understood why he looked so nervous all of the sudden.

"Because I know you and I know you did that to make the world a better place. Not only to the human race but specially for me, Morgan, Harley and Peter. And all of our family too." She said and she could feel the tears stinging on her eyes.

"I didn't know I would do it until I saw the stones on his hands. He would kill everyone, Pepper, I couldn't let him do that." He said and now he was crying too.

"I could never be mad at you for being who you are, babe. I love you for it. I love you so much it hurts and seeing you dying nearly tore my soul in half." She said and she was full sobbing now. "When extremis popped into my head I did it without thinking twice because I'm not me without you." She said, caressing his cheek.

"I love you, too. So much." He said, nudging her hand and kissing her palm. "No more surprises."

"That's okay, because I got you."

" _I got you first_."

"Yeah, you did."

"So, about the _lightsaber_..." Tony started after a little while and his eyes were shining like it always did when he had an idea.

"Don't even think about it." She said, but there was a little smile on her face.

"But, Pep..."

"No."

"It'll be fine, I don't even think it's that hard, and..."

" _Tony_."

"Fine."

Pepper was trying really hard not to beam at her husband, but it was nearly impossible when he was alive and himself by her side.

"I'll do it."

" _Oh, God_."

**XIV. Morgan Stark**

Pepper was waiting on the landing pad for the Guardians ship to arrive in Wakanda.

"They'll be here any minute, Pepper. Just relax, please." Rhodey said, but she could see that he was as anxious as her to see Morgan and Harley.

Morgan got out of the ship with her hand linked with Harley, but as soon as her soft brown eyes connected to her mom's, she ran in her direction faster than Pepper has ever seen.

"Hello, Miss Morgan." She said, when they collided and Pepper lifted Morgan on her hip. "Are you okay, baby?"

"I just really missed you, mommy. Where's dad?"

"We'll see him in a little bit, baby. Were you good with Harley and Happy while we were away?" Pepper asked, running a finger on the bridge of Morgan's nose and making the little girl giggle.

"Yeah, mommy." She said and looked around, her eyes stopping on Harley approaching slowly. "Harley and I watched a lot of car movies, we ate popcorn after bedtime." She whispered before laughing.

"Is that right?" Pepper said, feeling amused and happy while seeing her little girl so bubbly and satisfied.

"I really need a hug from my favorite lady now. Where's my hug, miss Morgan?" Rhodey asked, his smile big and bright for the first time in ages.

Morgan skipped in the direction of Rhodey, showing her ponei toy to him and rambling about the alpaca needing a friend.

"Hey, P." Harley said, hugging her fiercely.

"Hey, Harl. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine now."

"Did you talk to your mom?"

"I did, yes. She was a little scared but they are alright. I'll go to Tennessee when we get back."

"I'm so realived to hear, kiddo. That's good."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and they went in the direction of Rhodey. She saw Nebula waving from inside the ship and smiled at her, nodding her thanks. They would talk later, a lot of thing happened to Nebula in a short period of time.

When they approached Rhodey and Morgan, Pepper held her daughter's hand and lead her to sit on a chair on the lounge.

"So, there is something that I need to talk to you before we can go and see daddy, okay?"

"Okay, mommy." She said, sitting on the chair and listening intently. She was so much like Tony sometimes, but it was in times like this that she knew Morgan was a little bit like her too.

"Daddy got a little hurt in a fight to save us, darling. So he's in a hospital in the palace and he's okay, now. Really missing you, but okay. But you have to be gentle and nice for him. Can you do that for me, Morgie?" Pepper asked, watching as her daughter's eyes started to look a little shiny.

"Daddy going to die?"

"No, baby. Daddy is okay and is going to be around for a long time to sneak you popsicles before bed. Alright?" She explained, kissing Morgan on the nose and brushing her long fingers through the dark hair.

"Okay. Can we see him now?"

"Of course we can." She said, seeing Harley and Rhodey waiting on the hallway. Pepper had called Harley two days ago, after Tony was out of surgery and explained everything.

"Did you hug Auntie Neb when she went to pick you up? She really missed you, y'know?"

"I did, mommy. She is so _pretty_ with her new orange pieces, now."

"She totally tried to catch Rocky's tail too. Mr. Quill made a lot of fun jokes about that." Harley said, laughing lightly when Morgan's cheeks became a little red.

"Is that true, Morgan?"

"I'm sorry, mommy, but it looks so fluffy. I jus' wanted to squeeze." She answered, looking like a lost puppy. "Mr. Quill said it was alright, he showed me his music, too. His taste is better than Daddy's."

"Oh, God, Morgie. Never say that in front of you father. He'll just go _nuts_." Rhodey said and his eyes were slightly widened, like he really was afraid Tony would listen to the kid.

**XV. The Iron Family**

It was really hard to gather everybody around at the same time. So Pepper made sure to schedule the barbeque a few weeks before its actual date. It has been 5 months since the battle against Thanos' army and it had been a place of growing together, learning about losses and catching up with new things 5 years after being snapped.

Morgan, Peter and Harley were inseparable, becoming a tight unit specially against her and Tony. The two boys spent a lot of time together in the lab, making new creations that would change the world forever. Shuri was talking to them frequently too, learning and teaching together.

Rocket was just glad about getting his family back and you could say that Nebula was a little relieved about the return of the little group of a-holes. And if she had high hopes of getting her sister back, well, she was in her own right.

Rhodey was still flirting with sweet, powerful, brilliant Carol Danvers and she knew they would end up together if she stuck around a little more. But as she liked to say, the galaxy needed her in a way Earth didn't so she would visit every couple of months and Rhodey just got whiny when she went away.

Tony, well, he adjusted to his new arm faster than anyone predicted, but then again, Tony Stark was nothing but an overachiever, genius and a little bit insane. So, yeah, he had a nanotech arm, resembling so much an actual living arm that it was scary, but Pepper got used to have it wrapped around her at night and she didn't care because she could feel his strong, alive heartbeat everytime his chest was glued to her back.

And, Pepper... she got used to everything the universe resolved to throw at her because she was stubborn and adaptable. So, when she made a pregnancy test two weeks before the little family gathering and it said to her that Morgan would be a big sister, she just cried and laughed and screamed at the same time, because the universe decided that she needed some balance after that battle. So she was happy and safe and pregnant.

Nobody knew yet except for her doctor and she knew she would probably give Tony a heart attack when she announced the news, but she had already set FRIDAY to record every reaction.

"I never thought I would be so happy seeing everyone together." Nebula said, sipping on a glass of juice and sitting on her side.

Pepper was sitting on the porch steps observing her family interacting, laughing, exchanging stories and loving each other with every little word.

May was tucked on Happy's side and they were talking about something that got her excited and that was this happy, adoring glint in her security chief's eyes that made her feel incredibly relieved that he found someone made just for him after all these years.

Peter and Morgan were swimming on the lake and every little bubble of laughter that her baby let out at something the spiderling did made her heart swell. He was a great kid and seeing him and her daughter being so good for each other made her admiration for him grow even more.

Harley and Tony were hunched over a starkpad, watching a car race that was happening right there and the sounds of their cheers were echoing on the backyard. She never hide the affection that she has for the boy and so much of it has to do with the big smile, the relaxed posture and the excited eyes Tony always had around him. He was awesome and a part of her like she never really realized until the snap.

Rocket and Rhodey were at the grill, the man listening intently to one of the Racoon's crazy space adventures. Rhodey choked on his beer when the alien said something particularly funny about Peter Quill and the Guardians. It was nice to see him so healthy after all they went through.

"I know, right? I put so much effort in reuniting everyone and now I feel it's way better than I expected." She answered the blue alien with a gentle smile.

"It's good that we are here. I wanted to talk to you about something." Nebula says and that's this edge to her voice that Pepper didn't like.

"What is it, Neb? You can tell me anything."

"Rocket and I won't be coming to Terra for a while. We have this deep space mission and the plans says it'll be at least two years before it's over. So will be apart for a long time." She said and Pepper let out a breath she was holding.

"I'll miss you so much and you can call us anytime you want, y'know. You can come back anytime you want..." Pepper promised even thought her heart was breaking a little at the time. Nebula became one of her best friends and she knew the girl loved the space like nothing else now that she had the opportunity to explore on her own will.

"I know i'll miss a lot of things but I want you to promise me you'll be safe while I'm out there. I can't lose anyone else." Nebula asked and her voice had this pleading edge that made Pepper's eyes sting.

"I promise you, Neb. We'll be right here when you come back for us. Just waiting." She promised, holding the robotic hand on her flesh ones.

"You better." And Pepper heard the "or else" hidden in there. Nebula would hunt every single soul in the corners of the Universe to find the soul that dared to hurt her family.

They talked about a lot and nothing at the same time for the next ten minutes, until Tony yelled for the blue meanie, wanting to show something to her in the garage.

Pepper went inside, feeling thirsty from the hot sunny day. She was so happy seeing her family together and in one piece that she forgot to keep a glass of water around her. She remembers how thirsty and hungry she was when she was expecting Morgan and she knows this time will be no different if her dry mouth and rumbling stomach is anything to go by. So she went on the hunt for water and would get something from the grill after.

"Tony told me about your plans, I'm not sure if I should be terrified or grateful." Harley said, startling her when she had her face inside de fridge.

"Well, I though it was a little obvious now, Harl. I mean, you are my kid even if I didn't birth you, specially after the last five years." She said, putting water on the cup that was on top of the marble counter.

"You know I consider you like a mom too, P." He answered and it was a nickname that he gave her. Only him could use and she thinks it's because he can't really call her mom but she's not just "Pepper" for him either. "But what about Morgan?"

"Tony didn't explain it to you, right? He just said "kid, you are going to become our heir in SI" and that was it." She said, knowing it was just like her husband to throw it at Harley. His throaty chuckle was confirmation enough for her.

"I mean... he kinda did."

"Here is the thing: Tony and I... we are getting old and SI needs a fresh, intelligent, genius mind like yours. Morgan will be a long while before she can take over, she needs to go to College and University and we don't even know if that's what she wants. So, our next, more approachable choice, who we know can lead and create is you. You are completing University with honor and all that and we've seen up close what you can do, you are the closest thing we have to Tony's mind itself and at the same time you are different and young and can bring fresh air and innovations. So we chose you, if that's what you want." She finished, raising her hand so he wouldn't interrupt her several times. He observed her with those analytical blue eyes and she could practically see the clogs turning. He was so much like Tony sometimes it actually scared her.

"I'll think about it." Was his answer.

"We can wait as long as you want. The transition would take five years and you would work alongside me the whole time to get the ropes and learn everything. I'll still work in SI in another job altogether, after everything that's happened I realized that I need to spend more time with Tony." She confessed, feeling like a weight had lifted from her chest.

"I get it, P. I'm going to talk to my mom and with Tony because he clearly owns me an explanation but I'm flattered to know you have me at such a high standard."

"You are at the highest, kiddo. You can take as long as you want." She said, kissing his cheek and going out to the little party, she went right to the table beside the grill where Rhodey was sticking meat with a long fork.

"Give me on of those chicken breasts, please, they smell amazing." Pepper said, arriving with a plate and extending it in the direction of Rhodey and the grill.

"We have steaks and you want chicken? You are a lost cause, Potts." He says, but served her the chicken nonetheless.

"They are healthier and won't make my stomach few like it carries a entire cow in there." She answered, knowing that meat made her body work hard and it could be painful.

"If you say so." He said with a small smirk.

"Have you got a response from the Air Force, Jim?" She asks, sitting beside him on the table near to the grill. He was still nursing his beer and eating some kind of garlic bread.

"Yes. They accepted my proposal. I'll work from the office now, only a few important missions as War Machine. The ones we don't really have a choice."

"I'm glad that you got what you wanted."

"I mean, I love fighting but I'm tired of it and with my experience I can really help the intelligence sector without actually going to the mission. So it's a win-win."

"You will also be able to be close to us." She says with a cheeky smile and the snort he lets out makes her insides jitter. Seeing her family happy is everything to her. "Speaking of close, though. How is Carol?"

"She is very far and very busy." He said with a little smile that is almost this side of too fond. "I like her a lot and she's fierce and independent and so so beautiful but I need something steady now and she needs to protect the galaxy. Is who she is."

"Wow. That's very understandable of you. Not only for who she is but about what you need."

"Yeah, well, we start learning as we get old, y'know what I mean?"

"I think I do." She says, looking at Tony as he dries Morgan's hair and says something that squeezes a laugh from Peter.

"Oh, God. You are making goo-goo eyes right now. You two are so _gross_ , man. I can't catch a break." He says, getting out of the table and going back to his mission of supplying people with chunks of meat.

She felt the need to go closer to Tony and Morgan, so pushing the plate aside she went in the direction of the lake, it wasn't far from the picnic area and she could see them playing with each other. Pepper watched as Tony wrapped a towel around Morgan and lifted her on his nanotech shoulder, running with her in the direction of the house probably to use the bathroom.

Peter was drying his hair with a towel and Pepper handed him the t-shirt that was hanging in one of the chairs on the porch, she knew he and Morgan would probably just go back to the lake, so there really was no point in changing.

"Thanks, Pepper" He said with a gentle smile on his face.

"So, I've been talking to May, y'know." Pepper begun, looking at Peter and he looked so cute when his eyes got a little worried and his smile turned nervous. "When am I going to meet this MJ girl, huh?" She dropped the bomb, watching as Peter choked on his own saliva.

"What did she told you?" He asked when his coughing fit stopped and if Peter could shot webs from his eyes, May would be so tangled right now.

"Oh, nothing much. Just that you couldn't stop talking about this beautiful, intelligent girl from your school." Pepper answered, smiling when Peter's cheeks and neck begun to get a little red.

"Oh, my God. Aunt May talks so much sometimes, man." He whispered to himself before raising his chocolate eyes to Pepper's blue ones. "She's special, y'know. She is fierce and so smart and doesn't take any bullshit. She's amazing."

Pepper watched Peter rambling about Michelle like Tony used to talk about his suits on that first year. He had this look in his eyes that her husband usually directed for her and she knew Peter must really like this girl. "Well, Pete, she sounds like quite the catch. Does she know?"

"No. I can't put her at risk, knowing who I am already puts so much people I care about in danger." He said, sitting on the porch steps. Pepper leaned on the railing, watching as his face became troubled about his double life.

"I really wish I could tell you all about leading a double life, but Iron Man was never really a secret. But, Peter, hear me out. If you two get together and you feel like you can trust her, I think you should tell her. She doesn't deserve to be in a relationship that has a big secret like yours. It can end everything really badly. As for the danger, the world already is very dangerous, all you can do is fight with everything that you have to make it better." Pepper said, her hand smoothing his messy wet hair.

"Has anyone ever said that you are amazing?" Peter said after a while, his eyes a little watery and his smile stretching his thin lips.

"I do. Like, a _hundred times_ a day." Tony said, leaning on the front door with a soft look on his face.

"And you are a very lucky man, Tony." Peter said, smiling to his mentor.

"Oh, don't I know it?" He said, walking until he could give Pepper a kiss on the cheek.

"Anyway, if she's everything you said she is, I think you really should give it a try. You deserve to be happy." She said, after Tony went to talk to Rhodey.

"Thanks, Pepper." He said, smiling at her and watching as aunt May approached the duo.

"We really need to talk about the things I tell you and you tell other people, May. I'm serious." He said and Pepper heard Aunt May laughing as she crossed the yard to sit beside Tony on the picnic table.

The day passed in a blur of conversations and memories and so much love. They took pictures and made funny videos for stories and things like that and Pepper was in a state of bliss for the first time since the birth of miss Morgan Hope Stark. Seeing Tony and her family so healthy, happy and supportive was everything she could hope for and she was so thankful for everything she had.

"So, I have something I'd like to share with you." Pepper says when they are all seated on the table when the sun is setting. Morgan has her face full of ice cream, Peter and Harley lift their heads from the spiderling phone, May offers her a kind smile, Rhodey, Happy, Rocket and Nebula turn their heads to pay attention to her. And her Tony, her beautiful, incredible, sweet Tony, was looking at her like she carried the stars, a look he always gave her.

"What is it, honey?" He asked, taking her hand in his and squeezing it.

"First, I need you all to know that I consider all of you my family and I love you very very deeply."

"Love you too, Mommy" Morgan said, her beaming smile smudged by vanilla ice cream.

"Ow, Pepper, we are not ready enough for love talk, we need booze." Rhodey joked, taking a sip of his beer while everyone laughed.

"Very funny, Colonel James." She said, a small smile on her lips. "Well, the second thing is that... our little Iron Family will gain a new addition." She said, keeping her smile at bay and watching the reactions. May seemed to caught up very easily and a big smile stretched her lips, Morgan wasn't even paying attention and the rest was looking at her with very confused faces.

"What do you mean?" Rocket asked, turning around to stare at the gate like someone would arrive.

"I mean that I am pregnant." She says, turning her face to look at Tony. He seemed petrified for a few seconds and the slow smile spreading on his lips and the tears welling in his eyes were the first things she noticed.

"Really?" He asked, his voice rough and his hands resting on her cheeks, cradling her face.

"Yes, honey." She nodded, kissing him and hugging him like her life depended on it.

She missed the way Harley and Peter commemorated with Morgan, saying she would have a little brother and the excited squeal Morgan let out when she finally understood, yelling "I'm a big sister, I'm going to teach everything I know and give tea".

She missed the small smile on Nebula's face and the happy belly laugh that came from Rocket.

She missed the way Happy started to cry from happiness and May making fun of him and beaming the entire time.

She missed the way Rhodey's eyes were glued on them, his determination and protectiveness clear on the lines of his face and the softest smile showing his white teeth.

But that's okay because later, FRIDAY would play all of that to her and she would feel the greatest feeling of thankfulness for the family she had. Tony likes to say she gave him everything but she knows is the other way around. She would never know any of them without him, she would never feel like she belonged without him, she would never be happy without him.

So she looked on the deep, chocolate, warm eyes of her husband, her best friend, the love of her life and said "Thank you, Tony."

"No, Pepper. Thank _you_."

**+1. Edwin James Stark**

"Once upon a time, a tall, handsome prince was very famous among the people. He's adored and admired even if he loves to make a mess sometimes. One day, he traveled to another land to sell his brand new sword and got captured by a bad bad guy. This bad guy locked the prince in a dark, cold cave with a sorcerer. The prince and the sorcerer became great friends and built a magical sword that helped him escape from the cave. He came back to his castle with the magic sword and fought away another bad guy that had tried to take his throne away from him. One of the prince's most trusted maidens, the one that ran the castle when he wasn't around, ended up falling in love with him and he fell for her too. They got together and faced many evils with the magic sword, they won every battle, got married and the kingdom loved its new king and queen and they had two little babies, a pretty, smart girl and a brave, handsome boy. And they lived happily ever after." Pepper said, looking to little Edwin's delicate face as he was falling asleep listening to the story.

She tucked the little boy and kissed his head.

"Mommy?" The four-year old called.

"Yes, baby-Ned?"

"Is daddy the prince?" He asked, cocking his little head to the side in doubt. Pepper would never get tired to look at his soft blue eyes and the way his face looked so much like Tony's when he was Edwin's age.

"You really are a smart young man, aren't you?" She said, not hiding the big smile she had on her face.

"That means you're the maiden."

"Yeah, that's right."

"And Morgie is the smart girl and I'm the brave boy"

"You sure are, baby." Pepper said, leaning on the door frame and watching as her son was illuminated by his night light. It was shaped like a arc reactor and Morgan built it for him as a birthday present a few months ago.

"Can you tell more stories like that? I really want Pete and Harl and Kammie and Shuri on this stories too." He asked, his 'stories' coming out like 'stowies' and 'really' like 'weally'. He loved his "siblings" like no one else and she knows they would want to spent more time with Edwin if they weren't so busy. Peter and Harley were always around but Shuri lived far away and Kamala was always on missions and Pepper never stopped being worried about them but she was so undeniably proud of them, that the worry was easy to handle.

"Of course, but first I will tell you all about a woman that was a spy on the castle and a man with a magical shield and another one with bows and arrows and a crazy sorcerer who could become a giant monster and then a prince from another realm that had a magical hammer."

"Can you tell me now?" He asked, seeming very much awake and electric now.

"No, baby, we are way past your bedtime already. But I'll tell you what, if you sleep now and behave tomorrow I'll tell you two stories. The one I just talked about and then the one about when the prince built a magical sword for his best friend. Sounds good?" She asked, tucking the boy in again and ruffling his hair.

"Okay, mommy. G'night."

"Good night, little prince. Sleep well."

"Wuv you, mommy."

"I love you so much."

When she closed the door, Tony was leaning on the wall with a huge smile on his face.

" _A tall, handsome prince_ , huh?" He asked, his smile turning into a smirk.

"Did you want me to say an eccentric, crazy, playboy prince?" She answered, lifting her eyebrows and crossing her arms.

"I loved how you turned it all into a very PG version of our life. Very smart of you." She said, encircling her waist and chuckling on her neck.

"He's four, honey. He's pretty intelligent but I'm not sure I can explain to him you used to sell weapons and was betrayed by your own father figure."

"Ouch, Pep. My God, you really know how to knock a guy out of his feet."

"Don't worry, though, I'm going to tell him all about magical stones, space adventures, murderous robots and how the prince just saved the entire world time and time again."

"I think you are getting lucky tonight." He said on her neck, pushing a laugh out of her. "But you have to promise you'll be nice, I still have that rug burn on my ass from when you attacked me last night."

"I attacked you?" She asked, raising her perfect eyebrow and letting her lips form a smirk.

"Yeah, alright, I attacked you. But in my defense, you look really really sexy in shorts."

"It's incredible how you _never_ change, mr. Stark."

"I have _everything_ I need. Why change, Mrs. Potts-Stark?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Tony dying in Endgame was poetic, right, wrong and bullshit at the same time, but I changed it here because I feel like this the happy ending he (and Pepper) deserves. So I used Extremis and that's that.
> 
> 2\. Edwin James Stark is a creation from my crazy head haha Edwin for Jarvis and James because Rhodes is everything for Pepperony. I truly don't believe Tony would name any of his kids Howard (that H. in Morgan's still bothers me to no end) even if the movie made us believe that years of trauma was fixed by a few words and a hug (I call bullshit again)
> 
> 3\. I'm sorry if Nebula is a little ooc in this, but I tried to give her a little bit of normalcy after being in the IronFam for a while.
> 
> Well, for those that came this far on my madness and my rant, thank you!


End file.
